Put Your Best Foot Forward: What Your Shoe Selection Says About You

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love shoes? Whether you have piles upon piles of shoe boxes stacked up in your closet, or you have just a few pairs that you wear over and over again until they’re completely worn through, chances are, you’re like the millions of other Americans that have slight shoe fetishes.

But why does it matter what we put on our feet, other than the fact that we like the shoes we buy and wear? Believe it or not, your shoes can say a lot about your personality, as well as the personality you’re trying to portray. And the findings are different for men and women.

So next time you’re on a date or you meet someone new, whip out this handy guide and get to analyzing the other person’s shoes. You might find out more than you want to know!

Womens Shoes

OK ladies, you’re first! Here’s what your shoes have to say about you:

Confident

If you’re the type of woman who thinks of yourself as confident, sexy and sophisticated, you’re likely wearing a pair of high heels or super high pumps. Red ones, in particular, say that you have a wild side to you, while black high heels signal that you’re probably more conservative in public, but may still have that wildness and adventure to you behind closed doors.

You’re daring enough to wear shoes of any height, because you don’t care what anyone thinks of you. You look good and you know it!

Laid-Back

For you low-maintenance types out there, how many pairs of shoes do you own that are more comfortable than fashionable? With rounded toes instead of pointy? Platforms instead of stilettos? All of these err on the side of comfort.

You super laid-back gals out there, you’re probably rocking the flip flops and flats every chance you get. You take laziness to the extreme by not even wanting to put forth the effort to actually put shoes on. Kudos to you, though, for valuing your personal time more than your footwear.

High-Maintenance

High-maintenance women, on the other hand, you ladies go in exactly the opposite direction. You often wear very delicate shoes with dainty embellishments that hurt your feet just by looking at them. Your shoes are of equal maintenance as you – they require a lot of attention to keep in perfect condition and cost more money than they’re actually worth. It’s all appearance.

Independent

You’re not afraid to experiment with all the colors of the rainbow when it comes to your footwear. No color is off limits, even if the shoes don’t necessarily match the outfit. You choose your footwear based on what you truly like, regardless of how it looks with everything else. You don’t care what other people think, and you’re not afraid to cross some boundaries.

Fun and Outgoing

Maybe you’re a little quirky, but you still like to stay comfortable. That’s why you take classic, simple designs, and tend to dress them up in your own way a little bit. Little things, like bows and ribbons on your shoes, are what you lean toward. While you don’t pick the really out there colors, necessarily, you aren’t afraid to try something new and different now and again. You do tend, though, to stick to deeper shades of colors so as not to bring too much attention to yourself.

Shy

You are a quiet person, shy around large groups of people – and so are your shoes. You tend to blend into a crowd without standing out – and so do your shoes. You are plain, and somewhat bland – just like your shoes. There really isn’t too much that’s exciting about you – and your shoes aren’t that exciting, either. Simplicity is the dead giveaway of a shy lady.

Athletic

Well, since you probably go from the gym straight to work and back to the gym again, chances are, you never take off your gym shoes. You rock them loud and proud – maybe they’re your favorite team’s colors or design, or maybe they’re your old, ratty tennis shoes that you refuse to throw away. You go for comfort and performance above anything else. Fashion? Who cares, when you can look like you’re about to spontaneously work out at any given moment!

Mens Shoes

Your turn, guys. And ladies, if you’re still reading, watch for these dead giveaways on a guy based on what shoes he’s wearing:

Playa Playa

See all of that fine, Italian leather that’s wrapped around his feet? Can you smell it from where you are? Or is it snakeskin, all shiny and well-polished and better groomed than he is? Pointed toes on said gaudy textured shoes? Yup, ladies, you’ve found yourself a player.

He cares more about his shoes than he’ll ever care about you. He’s willing to spend gobs of money on his designer shoes, but will probably make you pay for your own dinner. If you see these shoes, run.

Classy

A nice-looking pair of dress shoes can really make a man’s outfit complete and portray that he is put together, confident and classy. His shoes are well-maintained, but not overly polished. They match what he’s wearing. They have just the right amount of point to the tip, but aren’t too rounded, either.

Gentlemen, bad news here. The perfect dress shoe can be nearly impossible to find. But once you do find a pair that works for you and makes you look ultra chic, buy 8 of them. All at once. To keep in stock.

Fun and Different

Maybe it’s a pair of tennis shoes worn in such a way that you look at the guy and think, “Aww, he’s so adorable!” But most likely, a guy who’s fun, funky and a little quirky will be wearing a pair of old-school Converse All-Stars, either with a pair of jeans or some khakis.

With a pair of Converse, he’s probably laid-back and has a good sense of humor. But, if these gems are worn incorrectly, you’ll be able to tell. And that just shows that he’s trying too hard, in which case, you run again.

Hard-Working

This guy is usually found in a worn out pair of jeans and a good old-fashioned pair of construction boots. The boots say it all: he’s hard-working, down to earth, somewhat scruffy, definitely a guy’s guy and he definitely knows how to treat a girl.

He’s not afraid to get down and dirty, but he probably has a soft side to him, too. You’ve been warned, though: it’s a challenge to get the mushy stuff out of him. He’s fairly introverted since he spends most of his time around guys. But he’ll be lucky to find you, and you’ll be lucky to find him.

Nerdy

This one’s a dead giveaway: if he’s wearing a pair of old-school penny loafers, polished to a T, possibly even with a penny stashed away in the tongue, go ahead and look for the pocket protector and glasses now, because you’ve found yourself a nerdy guy. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, by any means, and you may find that he’s quite adorable after all.

The nerdy types tend to get nervous around people, especially women, so take it as a compliment if he stumbles on his words a bit when he’s around you. He will appreciate you and treat you the way you deserve to be treated. I mean think about it, the time that he spends studying just has to convert over to time spent with his gorgeous girlfriend, right? Right!

Ashley Dean is a freelance writer who often contributes to fashion and beauty publications. When she’s not writing, she can be found running her own shoe store that sells everything from American made work boots to high-class foreign designer stilettos.

Posts related to Put Your Best Foot Forward: What Your Shoe Selection Says About You